Sweet 16 for O’Brien

Aidan O'Brien recorded a one-two-three in the Beresford as he won the race for the sixth time in a row and a 16th time in total with Capri

By CLAUDE DUVAL

25th September 2016, 6:22 pm

Updated: 25th September 2016, 6:22 pm

BOOKMAKERS took enough encouragement from the victory of Capri in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh to trim his odds for Investec Derby glory next season.

The grey was giving Aidan O'Brien a sixth successive win in the Group Two contest - and 16th in total - as he led home a one-two-three for the Ballydoyle trainer having been sent off the 8-11 favourite.

It was not a flashy performance, but stamina looks to be a strong point with Epsom in mind and he was always holding stablemates Yucatan and Exemplar in the closing stages for a three-quarters of a length triumph.

A son of Galileo, Capri was cut to 10-1 from 16-1 for the Derby with Paddy Power behind another stablemate, Churchill, the 6-1 ante-post market leader.

O'Brien said: "I was very impressed with all three colts. They went a nice pace and came up the middle so they had to learn.

"Capri is a nice moving horse and should prefer better ground. All three should definitely get a mile and a quarter, and if they are good over that they should get a mile and a half. They are all bred for it.

"Ryan (Moore) was very happy. He kept quickening and was surprised they came with him. We certainly will look at the Racing Post Trophy for all three.

"You learn the same as we do when we run them against each other. Sometimes we get surprised and sometimes not."

O'Brien and Moore had earlier teamed up for a Group Three victory through The Happy Prince (11-4 favourite) in the Renaissance Stakes.

O'Brien said: "He's definitely improving. Ryan said he would have no problem going back to five furlongs as he has plenty of speed."

Eziyra stayed on strongly to be an appropriate winner of the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes and head into winter quarters as a potential Classic candidate.

Trained by Dermot Weld in whose late parents' memory the Group Three race is run, the Aga Khan-owned filly kept with the bulk of the field who moved over to the near side and led about a furlong out under Pat Smullen.

Godolphin's Grecian Light was the only rival to threaten in the closing stages but she was kept at bay as the 5-4 favourite scored by two lengths.

Weld, who was winning this race for the first time since 1999, said: "I hope she will develop into an Irish 1,000 Guineas filly next year. We put the hood on to help her to settle as she was a bit keen the last day. I see her as a miler next year."

Hopes were high for a Weld double through classy stayer Forgotten Rules in the Loughbrown Stakes, and while he was beaten by Twilight Payment he nonetheless travelled powerfully for a long way before just tiring in the closing stages, on his first start since the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October.

That race is again likely to be a target, while the 3-1 winner was a double on the day for Jim Bolger, who said: "I'm hoping he'll be a Gold Cup horse next year."

Patrick Mullins is making a habit of picking up 'Derbys' and added the Manguard Plus Amateur Riders Derby (Q.R.) Handicap to his CV aboard Theos Well for Michael Winters.

Winters will look at the Irish Cesarewitch for the 8-1 winner, while Mullins, who has twice been victorious in the Epsom version of this race, said: "It's great to ride over the Derby tracks, like here and Epsom, over the mile and a half.

"I always want to try and get a ride in these races. Dad (Willie Mullins) won it last year (with Noble Inn), but I couldn't make the weight and Katie (Walsh) rode him.

"Mick said when he went past horses he'd love it. I think a strong gallop and a trip is what he wants and probably slow ground. He'd have a chance in the Cesarewitch.

"It's great to ride for Mick, he's a legend."

READ MORE

Racing Tips

WIZARD OF ODDS

Our resident Wizard conjures up some top racing tips for Tuesday's action